Wladyslaw Szerner

Wladislaw Szerner (Polish, 1836-1915) Safe passage signed 'Wladislaw Szerner' (lower right) oil on canvas 23 x 19in (58.4 x 48.3cm) PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Beverly Hills, California; Armand duVannes, Los Angeles, California, since 1945. LITERATURE: James Garry, The Guns of Islam , Guns & Ammo, March 2008, volume 52, no. 3, illus. page 46. Wladyslaw Szerner is best known for his realistically detailed genre paintings of 17th century Polish soldiers, Tartars and Cossacks, as well as hunting and village scenes. Most of the Tartars who settled within the 17th century Polish commonwealth were skilled warriors and primarily Muslim. They were allowed to preserve their Islamic religion, traditions and culture. In Safe passage , the artist has romanticized the Polish Tartar and Ruthenian uprising which took place about 1650. He has depicted several well armed and armored soldiers escorting a peasant's wagon from the city through the unseen dangers of the bleak winter countryside. The lead soldier carries in his hand a wolf ax which was used to ward off attacks by marauders. Several members of the escort are carrying muskets, probably state of art flintlocks. Many types of Islamic weaponery were used during this time of European conflict, and are now highly collectable. A copy of The Guns of Islam accompanies this lot.

WLADYSLAW SZERNER SR. (Polish 1836-1915) WLADYSLAW SZERNER SR. (Polish 1836-1915) Peasant Girl on Horseback Spinning Wool Oil on canvas Signed lower left W. Szerner 24.25 inches x 16.75 inches (61.5 x 42.5 cm) Estimate $5,000-$10,000 *It has been suggested by some that this painting may possibly be by Wladyslaw Szerner Sr.'s son (Wladyslaw Karol Szerner 1870-1936) who was also a successful artist in his own right and who also shared the same first name as his father, painted similar scenes as his father and also signed in a somewhat similar fashion as his father.

wladyslaw szerner polish, 1836-1915 resting cossacks signed l.l. oil on canvas 40 by 80 cm., 15 3/4 by 31 1/2 in. provenance: museum gallery, london acquired by the father of the present owner circa 1955; thence by descent we are grateful to dr. janina zielinska for her assistance in the cataloguing of this work.